1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cooling systems for vehicle batteries.
2. Discussion
A battery may generate heat during charging and discharging, and may need to be cooled for performance, fuel economy, and battery life reasons.
A battery in an alternatively powered vehicle may be cooled by a separate heat exchanger next to the battery. Packaging such a unit, however, may be expensive and require a large space to accommodate the separate heat exchanger, shut off valves, and refrigerant tubing often associated with such a unit.
Other systems may use cabin air to cool the battery, but the effectiveness of such systems may be reduced when the cabin air is hot. In addition, air used for battery cooling may impact cabin comfort via leakage, temperature, humidity, and noise.